Portsmouth (Rhode Island)

Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is a small quaint town with a strong sense of community that has a lot of history for any traveler to discover. It was settled in 1638 by a group of religious dissenters from Boston, including Dr. John Clarke, William Coddington, and Anne Hutchinson.

Get in
Though it is on an island, Portsmouth is most readily accessible from RI Rt. 138.

Avoid the traffic on West Main Road by taking a left onto Access Road (next to a Courtyard Marriott) and follow. Go down a hill and take a slight right onto Defense Road. Follow until taking a sharp right ontp Stringham Road, which will bring you back up to West Main Road. By taking this quiet, scenic road, you bypass traffic and the commercialized portion of West Main Road.

Get around
As it is a small, quaint town, it is easiest to get around Portsmouth by car. Unlike a more metropolitan city which can easily be navigated on foot or by public transportation, Portsmouth is far too rural and suburban to rely on these types of transportation.

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) does, however, have buses running to and from Portsmouth.

See







 * Portsmouth Abbey Wind Turbine The Abbey is home to Rhode Island's first wind turbine. The blades first started turning on March 31, 2006. Within the first year, the turbine generated 1.3 million kWh of "clean" electricity and supplied 39.35 percent of the school's electrical energy use. This successful trend has continued.

Go next



 * Newport: The breathtaking and beautiful town located right on the shore. Attractions of all kinds: streets filled with shopping, the town is surrounded by the beach, arts and theatre to add to the culture aspect of this well known spot. Go to their website, click on “things to do” and you will see an events calendar to your left. Check it out and plan a trip!
 * University of Rhode Island: 30 minutes away.  Sporting events, concerts at the Ryan Center and around the beautiful campus.  Make sure to check out the school’s website to see what’s happening at URI.
 * Providence: The state capital can either drive or take the RIPTA to experience a wide range of culture through various entertainment establishments or take the day to shop around the eclectic area.
 * Bristol: Visit this small, patriotic town on the Fourth of July and you’ll think you’re at the Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City. Bristol has hosted the oldest Independence Day parade in the nation, comparing to nothing else.